Grab yourself a coffee and catch up on today’s news in brief. It is packed with the latest deals, updates from the industry and everything you need to know in bite-size pieces.
Air New Zealand brings back Covid Flexibility Policy to help customers
In response to increasing levels of illness in the community, Air New Zealand is reintroducing its Covid Flexibility Policy until 31 July, offering customers the flexibility of opting into credit if they are no longer able to travel. The airline is hearing from a large number of customers who are falling sick with Covid or other winter illnesses and can no longer travel. It’s also seeing higher-than-usual employee sickness leading to flight cancellations.
Effective immediately, the airline is temporarily bringing back its Covid Flexibility Policy, which allows customers travelling around New Zealand or overseas to cancel their travel if they are unwell and either put their booking into credit or change their flight and have their change fee waived. Air New Zealand Chief Customer and Sales Officer Leanne Geraghty says the decision is the right thing to do by the airline’s customers.
Coral Princess makes maiden call to Port Douglas
Port Douglas welcomed back the first cruise ship and its passengers in more than two years. Princess Cruises is the first cruise liner to visit the coastal town following the cruise industry’s restart, much to the relief of local tourism operators and the hospitality sector. In yet another positive step for the tourism industry, the visits are expected to generate $4.9M for Port Douglas, a much-needed boost for local tourism operators and the hospitality sector, which have struggled with reduced visitation numbers.
Port Douglas-based tour operator Jason Heffernan from Back Country Bliss said he is thrilled to welcome back cruise visitors once again. “It’s been great to finally see consistent business returning to the tourism operators of Port Douglas. In town, there is a real sense of energy and buzz that we have not felt in a very long time. It’s a hopeful feeling to see how many people are returning once again,” Jason Heffernan said.
Singapore Airlines boosts Japan services
Singapore Airlines (SIA) will increase services to points across Japan and restore its Indian network to pre-pandemic levels in the coming months. The Airline will also add more flights to Los Angeles and Paris by December 2022, and continue with its direct services to Vancouver. This is in response to strong demand for air travel, and will offer customers more flexibility and options in the Northern Winter operating season (30 October 2022 to 25 March 2023). Together with other adjustments to the SIA and Scoot network, the SIA Group capacity is projected to be at around 81 per cent of pre-pandemic levels by December 2022.
